Improved eailwai switch



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Letters ,Patent IVe. 63,337, dated March, 1867 IMPROVBD RAILWAY SWITCH..

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Beit known that I, JAMES TILLINGIIAST, of Buffalo, in the county ofErie, and State 'of New York, have invented a new and improvedTriple-Sivitcl1-t'or Railways; and Ido hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable thoseskilled in the art to make-and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

v This invention relates to a new and improved triple switch forrailroads, and'it consists in constructing the switch in such amannerthat it may be set in line with either-ot` .two branch tracks, so that'a train may pass from the main track' upon either of the branehztracks,as desired, and in ca'sc of the switch not being reset in line with themain track after a train has passed "upon a branch track,.a. train onthe main track in -passing upon the switclrin an opposite direction willhe capable of adjusting the switch properly in line with the main track.The object of :the invention is to avoid vaccidents .bya wrongadjustment of the switch, a contingency oi' not unfrequent occurrence,especially in those cases where `triple switches are employed.' In theaccompanying sheet of drawings Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectionof my invention taken in the line x fr, 'fi

Figure 2, a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A A represent the rails of thc main track of a railroad, and B B, C C,the rails of two branch tracks, all of' which are shown clearly in iig;The switch is composed of four rails, D D E E', all of which are alsoshown in tig. 2, two rails, D E, being at one sidm ot' the track, andthe other two, E E@ at the other side. 'lhe rails D E of the switch areconnected by cross-bars 'a, and the rails E D are connected bycross-bars b, and the rails D D are connected at their` free or.disengaged ends by bars c c, the inner ends 'ofthe latter beingconnected by an elliptic spring, F. These bars, a bf and ec, are allconnected te their respective switch-rails by pivots, so that noindependent play is allowed them in the operationof Athe switch G i`s across-bar connected to the two switchfrails D D by pivots, aX, whichpass through oblong slo'ts', in said bar, as shown clearly in fig. 2,and the cross-bar G is connected at one end with a bar I-I, by means ofan ellipticspring, I, a hand-lever J being connected to bar II, asshown--clearly iu iig. 1 The switch-.mils are pivoted at one end to asleeper ortie, K, as shown at e, gf2.

From the above description it willV be seen that the' spring F hasatendency to keep the free or disengaged ends of the switch-rails D D inContact with the main rails A A, and also to keep the pivots a of saidswitchrails in the outer parts of the oblong slots d d. Whe'n the leve'rJ, therefore, is not actuated, the switch-rails D D will bein linewiththe main rails A A of the track, as shown clearly in iig. 2; When it isdesired to adjust the switch in line with the branch trackI C C, thelevendv ismoved in thedireetion indicated by the arrow 1, and the bar GVmoves tlicffree or disengaged end of' the switch-rail D in contact withthe adjoining guard A', the spring being thereby compressed, and theswitch-rail E moved from Dl h'y the cross-bars b, so that-the free ordisengaged end of E will be in eontactwith the switch-rail D, Inorder't'o adju-st the switch in liney with the branch track B B, thelever J is moved in the opposite direction, us indicated by the arrow 2,andthe free or disengaged end of the switch-rail D ismoved in contactwith' the adjoining guard A, -and' the switch-rail E is moved from D bymeans of the cross-bars a, so that the free or disengaged end of' E willbe in contact with D. It will be seen that the oblong 'slots d ,in thecross-bar G, performan important function, to wit, they admit oftheswitch-rails D D being moved separately or independently of each other.The' springs F I are also an im ortant feature, as the admit of the lianes of the cur-wheels ad'ustin the switch-rails when the former are P Y eJ g passing oil' from a branch track with which the switch isnot set inline. In case a train is passing along on the main track in thedirection indicated by arrow 3, and-the switch-rails should be set inline with one of the branch tracks, and it is designed to have the traincontinue on the main track, no accident could occur, only a trillingloss of time would be incurred. The arrangement, as a whole, isextremely simple and efficient, may be applied at a small cost, andthere are no parts liable to get out of repair or hecoufe deranged byuse.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A triple switchfor railroads, composed of the rails D D E E', .connected respectivelyby the cross-bars a b, with the cross-bar G applied to the rails D D',through the medium of `the oblong slots d d, and pivots ax, andconnected' to'A the lever-bar H by thc spring I and thebars e c,connected by the spring F, and attached to the switch-railsD` D',allarranged to operate substantially in the manner as set forth.

JAMES TILLINGHAST.' Witnesses WM. H. Games, D. 1". GATES.

